I am an evil giraffe. Who no longer blogs about politics.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is tied with former Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown in a new survey of the New Hampshire Senate race — even though Brown hasn’t officially entered the race.

The survey, from bipartisan consulting firm Purple Strategies and first reported in The Boston Globe, gives both Shaheen and Brown 44 percent support among likely New Hampshire voters.

…the temptation must be strong.

(Via Hot Air Green Room) I know, I know: this is not precisely good news for a large part of the Republican base. But imagine how the Democratic base feels. Opening up a political front in New Hampshire will be endlessly complicating for them: aside from the Senate race itself, there are two at-risk House races, the governor’s seat, and control of the state legislature to consider. Plus, Jeanne Shaheen’s numbers took a big hit from Obamacare – and those numbers haven’t recovered. She’s not considered at-risk largely because she doesn’t have an officially dangerous candidate. Say what you like about Scott Brown, but he’s won an election in hostile territory. He’s also lost an election in hostile territory, so he might not win in a somewhat friendlier state. But every Democratic-held seat that we force into play makes it just a little bit harder for the Democrats to force more of our seats into play.

Of course, at the end it’s up to New Hampshire Republican primary voters, not me. Their decision, not mine, and they’ll make the choices that they make for reasons that seem good to them.